Dr Alison Porter BA, MA, PhD
Lecturer in Applied Linguistics (English Language Education)
I have worked as an English language teacher of adults, teenagers and children in both the United Kingdom and Australia. I also spent ten years (2002-2012) working as a FL teacher in English primary schools where I taught French to children aged 5-11.
My PhD involved the design, implementation and evaluation of a principled pedagogical approach for the simultaneous teaching of oracy and literacy in two English primary modern foreign language classrooms. I also have an MA in Applied Linguistics (Research Methodology) and a BA in French.
I have worked as an English language teacher of adults, teenagers and children in both the United Kingdom and Australia. I also spent ten years (2002-2012) working as a FL teacher in English primary schools where I taught French to children aged 5-11.
My PhD involved the design, implementation and evaluation of a principled pedagogical approach for the simultaneous teaching of oracy and literacy in two English primary modern foreign language classrooms. I also have an MA in Applied Linguistics (Research Methodology) and a BA in French.
Research Grants:
Award 1: Nuffield Foundation: EDU/42585. Total award: £171,675
A multi-institutional bid with the Universities of Oxford (Principal Investigator – Dr Robert Woore), Reading (Co-Investigators – Professor Suzanne Graham, Dr Louise Courtney) and Southampton (Co-Investigator – Dr Alison Porter). Project completion scheduled for February 2018.
This is a randomised controlled trial which investigates the effects of either a) phonics instruction or b) reading strategy instruction on KS3 French learners (aged 11-13). The study will explore outcomes such as: reading comprehension, word decoding, vocabulary learning, self-efficacy and motivation.
Award 2: ESRC Impact Acceleration Account ES/M500458/1.: University of Southampton Primary Foreign Language Practice and Research Partnership (SUPL). Total award: £5,155
A University of Southampton Impact initiative which involves collaboration with a group of primary FL teachers to promote, develop and experiment with principled and innovative FL literacy practice. Web presence: www.soton.ac.uk/supl
Award 3: ESRC Impact Acceleration Account ES/M500458/1: Follow on funding University of Southampton Primary Foreign Language Practice and Research Partnership (SUPL). Total award: £7804.12
This award aims to build on existing collaboration to support teachers in further developing foreign language literacy and formative assessment practices. It will also seek to extend the reach and significance of the SUPL 2017-18 work.
Outreach:
2014-2016: University Supporting Tutor for the University of Reading, Department of Education to assist with delivery of a DfE funded initiative to promote teaching and assessment activities in line with the revised National Curriculum for MFL 2014. www.pdcinmfl.com
2014: Facilitator MFL literacy strand. Progress and Preparedness in Primary Language Learning: Research Insights for Classroom Practice. University of Reading, Department of Education (funded by Nuffield Foundation).
2014: Co-facilitator MFL literacy strand. Action Research in Primary School Language Classrooms. University of York, Department of Education (funded by ESRC & British Academy).